Feelable indicator for film handling apparatus



J. MIHALYI Filed Oct. 26, 1958 ep. 3, W4@

FEELABLE INDICATOR FOR FILM HANDLING APPARATUS 452 5;/ 36 @Mi 452 14/ f@ ,www ATTORNE n n u u v 35 by abutments on'the lm w Patented Sepl- 3l INDICATOR FOR FILM HAN- DLING APPARATUS Josephy Mihallvi,` Rochester, N. Y., assigner to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a

corporation of New Jersey 1 .9 Appiication October 26, 1931i, Serial m3423107? Germany May 28, 1938 5 claims.

The present invention relates to a feelable indicator for lm handling apparatus and more particularly to a pulsating means communicable to the operator of the apparatus to advise him that film is moving therethrough. Under many conditions, iilm advancement vmay fail in a. lm handling apparatus without the operator being aware of such failure. This is particularly true of nlm cameras handling sensitized lm which, of course, must^ be tightly enclosed within the camera. Some of the causes for failure vof lm movement are the tearing of perforations in the iilm and consequent inoperativeness of the film advancing mechanism or the failure of the take- 'l5 up means also resulting Ain cessation of lm movement. In any event the operator may believe that lm is being moved through the camera.

when such is not the case and may endeavor to make exposures without any iilm in the exposure area or with the same portion of film in the ex'- '30 pulse which is operated directly by the lm'or abutments thereon or perforations therein..

A still further object of the invention is a feelable pulse including a lm contacting memberv normally in contactlwith the film and operated the iilmis moved. Other and further objects of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art from the disclosure which follows. 5 'f The above and other objectsof the invention 40' are embodied in a iilm handling apparatus hav` ing a lm driving means for moving -a ilm strip and having a feelable means arranged tobe operated -bythe movement of the nim and for imparting pulsating sensation to ther operator.

45 Reference is hereby made to the accomlpanying drawing wherein similar reference characters designatesimilar elements and wherein: v, Fig. l is a rear elevation of a lm lhandling ing to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a. longitudinal section through such a lm handling apparatus taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 55 Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal section throughs.

,5b apparatus provided withl a ieelable pulse accord- (Ci. 11e-114) lm handling apparatus equipped with a modifled form of the ieelable pulse of the invention. Although the feelable pulse of the invention is shown herein as being operated by the perforav attached to the film'.

Y The lm handling apparatus shown by way of example comprises a camera of the mim'ature type. Such a camera may havea casing i0 enclosed by a removable back member l i.

More specifically, the casing it may carry an objective mount I2, see Fig. 2, and a view nder I3, see Fig. 1. Internally, the casing it may have v2i) a film supply chamber i4, a lm take-up chamber l5, and an intervening partition i6 whichis provided with an exposureopening Il. The adjoin- .ing edges of casing l0 Aand back member il are rabbeted as at I8, see Fig. 2, to form light-tights# joints therebetween, While said" casing i0 and1 back member H both have a leather covering I9. The film supply is preferably provided within a lm magazine 28 having end caps 2i in which the tubular hub 22 .of a flanged spool 23 is journaled. *30 The lm is wound in the usual manner within iilm lmagazine 2Q upon the spool 23 and extends through the nlm exit 24 of film magazine 20.

vSaid film magazine 29 is placed Within the film supply chamber i4, is supported at one end by the Aextension of tubular hub 22 bearing in end partition 25 of casing i0 and at the other end by a clutch member 26 engaging the other end of tubular hub 22. A ridge member 2l on back member Il extends into supply chamber M adjacent the film exit 24 of magazine 2G to prevent rotation of the magazine within said chamber I4.

The fllm F extends from the exit 24 of film magazine 20 along partition i6, over exposure opening I1, past a sprocket ,28 and onto the takeup spool '29. 'The ilm F is preferably held flat over said exposure opening l i by a pressure plate 38 mounted by springs 3l upon the removable back member Il and urgedby said springs 3l toward partition i6v and opening I1 when the back 50 member I I is fastened onto casing I0.

The nlm driving means may comprise either a sprocket drive for the iilm, a take-up drive, or a inafter.

' rying a crown gear dS.

`essary. The rewinding film driving means comprises a Winding handle 54 rotatably mounted in a side v The sprocket film driving means comprises the 4sprocket 28 composed of collars 32 carrying 'teeth 33 and mounted upon a shaft 36 which is jour- -naled in bearings 35 and 3B on opposite sides of the interior of casing l0.

The take-up film driving means comprises the anged take-up spool 29 having a tubular hub 3l 'which is provided with a film slot 38. Said tubular hub 31 is rotatably supported within the film take-up chamber I5 of casing Il) by means of a bushing 349, a clutch shaft i0 and a stub shaft M on casing l0 and extending into clutch shaft 0. 'Ihe stub shaft il carries a pin 42 engaging in a slot 63 in the end of clutch shaft d0. The clutch shaft 40 has a portion 44 of reduced diameter about which a coil spring 45 is. wrapped. A tongue 36 is formed inwardly of the tubular hub 31 and is provided with a hole for receiving the end 65 of said coil spring d5. This arrangement within tubular hub 3'! constitutes an over-running clutch, vthe purpose and function of whicn will be later described.

A winding handle ll'l is rotatably mounted upon back member ll and is attached to a stud 68 extending through said back member ll and car- A pinion gear 5B is mounted upon shaft 36 so that movement of handle 5l in a counter-clockwise direction, indicated by the arrow on Fig. 1, will cause rotation of pinion Agear 50 and sprocket 28 in a clockwise direction, indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, and advancement of the film F into the film take-up chamber l5. v

The film take-up is illustrated herein as being operated from the sprocket film driving -means but it isto be understood that such take-up mayy be operated independently or may be the only means for moving the film into the take-up chamber l5. A pinion 5l is mounted on shaft 52 on the interior of casing I0 and meshes with a second pinion 53 mounted on the stub shaft 5l. Referring to Fig, 2, it will be noted that movement of pinion 50 in a clockwise direction rotates pinion 5l in a counter-clockwise direction which in turn rotates pinion 53 and shaft el `ina clockwise direction. Such clockwise movement is transmitted by pin 42 and slot 'to clutch shaft 6D and to the portion 44, thereof. The frictional engagement between coil spring d'and portion ld transmitsA this motion to the tongue 46 and to the tubular hub 37 of take-up spool 29. It will be realized by those skilled in the art that take-up spool 29 must be driven sufficiently so as to wind on its smallest` diameter the vnlm which is being advanced by the sprocket 28 but such take-up drive must also provide for slippage when the diameter of thev take-up spool increases and its peripheral speed exceeds that of the sprocket 28. Such compensating slip is accomplished in the disclosed take-up arrangement between portion IM of clutch shaft G0 and coil spring 45. of the film on` take-up spool 29 is greater than the minimum diameter, portion M willtend to lturn coil spring 45 at a rotational speed greater than that required to take up the film passing sprocket 28 and will tend to unwrap spring 45 from portion 154 to permit whatever slip is necwall ofcasing I0 and connected to clutch member 26 which engages the tubular hub 22 of the supply film magazine 20.` When it is desired to-return the exposed vfilm to magazine 20, said winding,

handle 5B is rotated vin a known manner to rewind When the diameter y of the camera.

the film into magazine 20 and to move the film F ina reverse direction over the exposure opening I7.-

Since movement of the film F by (any one or more of the lm driving means above described may fail, it is quite necessary or convenient to be able to Averify Whether or not film movement is occurring and the feelable means or pulse of the present-invention is directed to verification of the film movement within a film handling apparatus, particularly a camera which is handling lightsensitive film not readily available for inspection. The feelable means or pulse of the present invention is arranged to be operated directly bythe lm itself during movement thereof. Such a feelable means may comprise a film contacting member and a touchable member. `Although the touchable member may itself be operated directly `by the' abutments on the moving film strip, excesresilient nature is to be preferred.

One form of the film contacting member is shown in Fig.,2 and comprises a spring arm 55 fastened to the interior of back member Il, such as by rivetsk, and earring a tooth 5l which preferably has rounded or tapered sides. The pressure plate 30 is provided with a notch 53 and the partition I6 is provided with a recess 59, both opposite the tooth 5i which is no'rmally urged into engagement with the film F or its perforations or which may pass through the perforations of the film into recess 59. Spring arm 55 is preferably biased toA press against the film F as shown in Fig. 2 so that tooth 57 normally engages the film, its abutments or perforations.

The touchable member comprises a hollow bushing 60 mounted in removable back member il and containing a finger pin 6l and coil spring B2. Bushing El) is inwardly dished at its outer end and is enclosed at its inner end by a plate ,53. Coil spring 62 tends to retract finger pin 6l into the casing and to move it against the end of spring arm 55 so that said pin 6l cannot move freely under the action of gravity.

During any of the film winding or film driving operations of the camera, the operator may hold a finger against the pin 6l. If a film strip is being moved through the camera by any of the said driving means, the tooth 57 and spring arm 55u/ill be oseillated or intermittently actuated by the abutments on the film or margins of the perforations in the film. The perception of such pulsations or oscillations through the operators sense of touch will advise him that the film strip is being moved. On the contrary, if no such pulsations are felt during operation of one of the film driving means, the operator is immediately informed that some abnormal condition exists and that the film is not being moved across the exposure area Alternatively, the feelable means or pulse may be arranged to function only when under pressure of the operators finger and this embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 3. As before, the Vfilm contacting member is fastened/to the inside The touchable member of the second embodiment comprises a finger pin-61 which extends through a hole 68 provided with. a bushing 69' passing between nger pin 61 and the hole 68 is trapped by the cup 'it and the annular groove 10.

It will now be clear that according to either form. of the invention an operator may ascertain or vertify whether or not the :dim is being moved through the film handling apparatus when the film driving means, such as the sprocket drive, take-up drive and/or rewind drive, is operative. Such a feelable footage indicator is a convenient and very useful adjunct toa film handling apparatus and especially a camera for sensitized film.

Since otheru modifications of the invention are possible, the present disclosure is merely illustrative. It shall be understood that the feelable pulse of the invention may beoperated by movement of the film, such as engagement with abutments on the film. Such abutments including perforations, the margins of perforations, embossings in the film, or protuberances attached to the film. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims which follow.

Having now particularly described my invention what I desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States and what I claim is:

1. In a film handling apparatus, the combination with a film driving means for moving through said apparatus a film strip which has spaced abutments. of a feelable means including a. lm contacting member having a cam surface located and arranged merely to bear against the abutments of said film and to be directly and intermittently actuated by the abutments on said iilm upon movement thereof and including a toucha'ole member operated by said film contacting member.

2. In a film handling apparatus, the combination with a film driving means for moving through said apparatus a film strip which has spaced abutments, of a feelable means including a film contacting member having a cam surface normally pressed toward the film strip merely to bear against said abutments and operated upon movement of said film by the abutments thereon, and a touchable member available to the touch of the operator and operated bysaid film contacting member.

3. In a film handling apparatus, the combination with a lighttight easing and a film through said apparatus a lm strip which has spaced abutments, of a feelable means including a film contacting member having a cam surface normally positioned out of contact with the film strip and a touchabie member for moving said cam surface of the film contacting member into engagement with said film strip and for receiving pulsations from said abutments upon movement of said lm strip by the lm driving means.

4. In a film handling apparatus, the combinatiorq with a light-tight casing, and a. lm driving means in said casing for moving through said apparatus a sensitized and perforated film.

strip, of a film contacting member mounted within said casing and having a cam surface resiliently urged into engagement with said perforated film strip and arranged to be operated intermittently by said perforated film strip upon movement thereof, a light sealing bushing on said casing, and a touchable member mounted in said bushing and spring pressed inwardly of said casing toward said-film contacting member for operation thereby.

5. In a lm handling apparatus, the combination with a light-tight casing, and a fiim driving means in said casing for moving through said apparatus a sensitized and perforated film strip, of a film contacting member mounted within said casing and having a cam surface movable into contact with said perforated film strip and operated-intermittently by said perforated lm strip upon movement thereof, a finger member extending through said casing and oper- -ated by said film contacting member, and a light sealing member movable with said nger member and in light sealing relation to said casing.

. JOSEPH MIIHALYHI. 

